Acer’s Chromebooks aren’t known for their design prowess (see this year’s Chromebook 11), though they are solidly built and can last forever on a charge. That started to change with the 15-inch Chromebook 15, which added a smidge of style, but Acer is really upping the ante with the Chromebook 514. At a glance, the Chromebook 514 could almost be mistaken for a MacBook Air. The black keys are laid in a silver aluminum chassis with plenty of room to rest your palms. The touchpad is covered in Corning’s Gorilla Glass rather than plastic. The backlit keyboard adds a nice look to the machine. The bezels on this modelare slimmer than Acer’s standard, which gives the Chromebook’s display more real estate in a smaller footprint. The chin of the display, where Acer emblazoned its logo, could shrink down to give the 1080p LCD screen even more room to shine, but that’s a small complaint. MORE: Best Chromebooks Acer is also touting the Chromebook 514’s 12-hour battery life, which would be an improvement over the 9:17 result we saw from from the Chromebook 15’s battery. And the Chromebook 514 is all-in with USB-C, which will help future-proof it. Acer is taking what used to be a cheap alternative to a notebook, the Chromebook, and giving it a premium gloss. But will people want to spend $350 on a Chromebook when cheaper options abound? We’ll find out when we get the chance to hands-on with the Chromebook 514.
Chromebook Tips
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How to Get Android Apps, Google Play Store on a ChromebookSave Images On a ChromebookHow to Redeem Your 100GB of Free SpaceUse Skype on a ChromebookChange Wallpaper on a ChromebookSet Up Google Print on Your ChromebookKeep Google From Spying on Your Kid’s Chromebook Install Linux on a ChromebookTurn on Caps LockTake a ScreenshotReset Your ChromebookUse Dropbox on Your Chromebook and Add it to File ManagerEdit Word Docs on a ChromebookSet Up Offline GmailHow to Force Quit on a ChromebookSet Up Chrome Remote Desktop on Your ChromebookTurn Your Chromebook Desktop into an Art GalleryKeep Your Chromebook From SleepingHow to Snap Windows in Chrome OSChange the Screen Resolution of a ChromebookHow to Launch a Google Hangout on Your ChromebookHow to Stream Google Play Music on Your ChromebookHow to Right-Click on a ChromebookHow to Unlock Chromebooks Using a PIN NumberHow to Add Custom Shortcuts to Your Chromebook App Launcher
